Published: 12/14/2021 8:13:51 PM
Cut, drive, pass, shoot, score.
It was that easy for the Concord High girls’ basketball team on their home kick-off on Monday night. The Crimson Tide had dropped every shot of their arsenal into the net, and with a defensive intensity that was its driving force, it was a victory to remember and build on.
Concord’s 72-39 win over Keene demonstrated the identity the Tide are looking to build this season – a stifling defense that locks itself in the fast lane, moves fast, and forces ball losses. The hope is that these turnovers will cause quick breaks and easy layups.
Wash, rinse, repeat.
With the addition of senior captain Elizabeth Blinn, who was back in the line-up after missing the season opener due to an injury, the Tide formula was implemented flawlessly as they took the lead 26-7 after the first quarter.
Buckets came with ease too. Whether Blinn or Sofia Payne in their second year on the post or one of Concord’s guards who shot from the middle distance to the 3-point line, everything worked at the tide.
“The mentality is to play defense,” said Blinn, who had a team high of 16 points. “We just want to keep up with the aggressiveness, keep up with distractions and steals. We want to keep making capital and getting better and better as the season progresses. ”
Concord’s defense eventually changed strategy and tried a full field press, and the Blackbirds struggled to hit the ball. When the away team were able to fire a shot, the Tide Defense quickly resorted to the rebound and already had a guard on the other end of the floor ready to score.
“We wanted to come out and play a lot harder than on Friday night,” said Concord coach Tim LaTorra. “I think we didn’t recover well on Friday, we lost a lot of the ball, missed a lot of free throws and played very tight in the sprints. We just wanted to let go. ”
In their season opener, a 66-38 loss at Pinkerton, the Tide struggled to find ways to both score and defend. That fight resulted in an exemption, with nearly the entire college roster scoring at least one point and four players hitting seven or more on Monday night.
With such a fast game plan and the desire to play like this every time, LaTorra knows that with the new compressed game plan there is only one mistake with minimal practice time.
“I think it will teach children different lessons than it has in the past; sometimes you have to make a decision on the spot, ”he said. “More importantly, with this compact schedule, I think we have to be in shape and those who are healthy at the end of the year will have the chance to do something special.”
LaTorra, who took his 200th career victory on Monday, noted that with a list of just 12 girls, there might be some trouble regarding depth, but as long as Concord’s formula keeps up with the execution, it will allow him to get his key to put players.
Concord (1: 1) ends the week with two home games, each starting at 6.30 p.m., starting with Spaulding on Wednesday followed by Alvirne on Friday.
